Well-drilling apparatus



I 1,633 945 June 28, 1927. J w) MaccLATcHIE WELL DRILLING AIIPARATUS Filed Nov. 18. 1925 By Tim- A T TORNE Y.

Patented June 28, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOHN W. MAOCLATCHIE, OF COMPTON, CALIFORNIA.

WELL-DRILLING APPARATUS.

Application fi'led November 18 1925. Serial No. 69,731.

This invention is an appliance forming a part of a well drilling apparatus, and adapted to convert rotary motion of the drive mechanism to reciprocating movement which is utilized for operating the pipe tongs of the drilling apparatus.

It is the object of the invention to operate the pipe tongs by a swinging arm, and to swing the arm by an eccentric on a rotating part of the drive mechanism.

It is the further object of the invention to provide means for normally maintaining the swinging arm in inoperative position, and to provide a manual control positioned convenient to the driller for shifting the arm into position for engagement by the eccentric.

It is the further object of the invention to provide an eccentric which is preferably adapted to replace a usual cat-head of the drive mechanism and form both a cat-head and a means for actuating the swinging arm.

It is the further object of the invention to so counterbalance the eccentric as to reduce vibration; and to also arrange the partsso as to move to either operative or inperat ve position without binding action and with minimum effort.

' Further objects of the invention will be readily understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a well drilling apparatus showing the improved tong operating means.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section in the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1 but showing the main shaft rotated 90 degrees.

Fig. 3 is an axial section through the eccentric. 1

Fig. 4 is an end view of the eccentric.

Fig. 5 is a. fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an axial section through the eccentric of the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5.

The improved tong operating mechanism is employed in connection ,with a usual well drilling apparatus which is illustrated as including derrick 1 supporting the frame 2 of the draw works for a rotary drill. The main shaft 3 of the draw works is journaled in bearings 4 in usual manner, and the means for rotating said shaft is of usual construction (not shown). The string of drill pipe 5 is gripped by the rotary table 6, and the lengths of said drill pipe are connected by couplings 7, which are adapted for engagement and turning by usual tongs 8 to connect or disconnect the lengths of drill pipe.

The present invention provides an operating connection between main shaft 3 and the handle of the tongs for swinging the tongs so as to set up or break the joints formed by the couplings. In the usual practice, cat-heads such as shown at 9 are keyed upon the respective ends of the main shaft 3, and in the preferred embodiment of the invention, one of these cat-heads is replaced by a member functioning as both a cat-head and a means for actuating the operating connection for the tong handle. This member is shown in Figs. 1 to 4 as a sleeve 10 keyed on an end of the main shaft 3 from which the usual cat-head has been removed. The outer end of the sleeve forms a usual cathead 11, and an eccentric 12 of appreciably greater diameter is provided at the inner end of the sleeve. The sleeve preferably forms a concentric idler surface 13 between the cat-head and eccentric, and one point in the periphery of the eccentric is a prolongation of the periphery of idler 13. At this point the surfaces of the idler and the eccentric are flattened for an appreciable width as shown at 15, so that when the sleeve 10 rotates with the main shaft 3, a swinging arm 14 which rests against the sleeve, may be shifted axially of the sleeve so as to slide along flattened surface 15 and ride upon the peripheral surface of either the idler or the eccentric.

WVhen the arm 14 rests against idler 13, the main shaft 3 may be rotated without swinging the arm since the idler is concentric with the shaft,but when the arm 14 is engaged by the peripheral surface of eccentric 12, rotation of the main shaft swings the arm to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The swinging end of the arm is connected to the handle of tongs 8 by a flexible connection 16, so that swinging movement of the arm will actuate the tongs for screwing or unscrewing the coupling 7.

The mounting for arm 14 includes a hearing rod 17 supported between brackets 18 on the derrick frame, and the pivoted end of the swinging arm comprises a T-head 18 journaled on rod 17 and adapted for sliding movement along the rod. The brackets 18 [xii ' Arm 14 is normally held in which arm 14 bears when swinging of the arm by the eccentric places a sham upon cable 16.

inoperative position resting upon idler 13, by yieldable tensioning means shown as a cable connected to arm 14 near its T-head, and extending over a pulley 21 on the derrick frame with weight 22 suspended from the cable.

Means are provided for moving arm 14 against the tension of weight 20 so as to shift the arm to operative position resting against eccentric 12. "For this purpose a manual operating connection extends to the opposite side of the derrick so that its control lever will be convenient to the driller. 'I'his operating connection is shown as a rod 23 fixed to arm 14 near its T-head, and adapt ed for longitudinal adjustment relative to the arm so as to provide for proper shifting of the arm. Rod 23 extends through arm 1.4 and the adjusting means is shown as nuts 24 threaded on rod 23 so as to abut against opposite side of the arm.

The rod 23 extends across the derrick, along the girt 25 and preferably to the upper side thereof; and a lever 26 is intermediately pivoted on the upper side of the girt 25, with rod 23 connected to one end thereof, and a depending operatin handle 27 pivoted to the opposite end of the lever. The operating handle is fulcrumed on frame 2 intermediate of its ends, so that manual shifting of the lower end of the handle will swing lever 26 and thus shift arm 14 to operative position by the movement of rod 23.

In operation, the connecting of cable 20 and rod 23 to arm 14 near its head 18, cooperates with the relatively long bearing surface formed by the head, to provide for shifting of the arm to either operative or inoperative position without binding action. It will also be noted that the binding of arm 14 against the flange 19 when a strain is placed upon cable 16, frictionally holds the operating arm in operative position against the tension of cable 20, even though the handle of lever 27 is released; but as soon as the operating means have swung the tongs and thus released the strain upon cable 16, the arm 14 is no longer frictionally held against flange 19,.and the tensioning means formed by weight 22 will then automatically return arm 14 to its inoperative position resting against idler 13.

The arm 14 is preferably provided with a strengthening rib 30, which may have openings 31 therethrough in order to reduce the weight of the arm; and'a wear plate 32 is preferably inserted in the face of the arm which is engaged by eccentric 12. The wear plate may be fixed in place by cap screws 33, and the plate is of such length that the entire circumference of the eccentric 12 will engage the plate.

The sleeve 10 is counter-balanced so as to offset the weight of eccentric 12 and provide for rotation of the sleeve with the main shaft without undue vibration. For this purpose the bore of sleeve 10- is recessed at the side of the sleeve from which the eccentric projects, the recessed portion of the bore being shown as recesses 40 axially spaced by ribs 41 which form the bearing surface for the shaft upon which sleeve 10 is keyed. The projecting portion of eccentric 12 is also recessed as shown at 42; and strengthening ribs 43 are preferably provided on the base of recess 42 and radiate from the axis of sleeve 10.

In the modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the usual cat-heads 9 remain on the respective ends of shaft 3, and sleeve 10 is fixed on the shaft at an intcrmediate point. The sleeve is a split construction, so that the halves of the sleeve may be clamped on the shaft by bolts and the sleeve forms an idler 13 and an eccentric 12 as previously described. The operating arm 14 is pivotally suspended from the derrick frame as previously described, and is adapted to slide along the flattened bearing surface 15 so as to rest upon either idler 13 or eccentric 12 The arm 14 is connected to the tong handle by cable 16*, and is shifted to operative or inoperative position by the same mechanism as previously described.

I claim:

1. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion, comprising an eccentric, means for rotating the eccentric, a swinging arm, means for axially shifting the arm so that its swinging end is engaged by the eccentric for swinging the arm, and an operating connection secured to the swinging end of the arm.

2. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion, comprising a sleeve, means for rotating the sleeve, said sleeve comprising a concentric and an eccentric peripheral surface, a swinging arm, meansfor axially shifting the arm so that its swinging end is engaged by either the concentric or eccentric surface of the sleeve, and an operating connection secured to the swinging end of the arm.

3. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion, comprising an eccentric, having a radially projecting flange at one end, means for rotating the eccentric, a swinging arm, means for axially shifting the arm so that its swinging end is engaged by the eccentric and abuts a ainst the flan e, yleldably tensioning means or axially shi ting the arm in the opposite direction to disengage the arm fromthe eccentric, an operating connection secured to the swinging end of the arm and tensioned by the swinging of the arm, the tensioning of the operating connection binding the swinging arm against the flange soas to prevent axial shifting of the arm in the direction to disengage the arm from the eccentric.

a. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion, comprising a sleeve, means for rotating the sleeve, said sleeve comprising a concentric and an eccentric peripheral surface, one point in the periphery of the eccentric surface forming a prolongation of the periphery of the concentric surface. the peripheries of the concentric and eccentric surfaces being flattened at said point, a swinging arm, means for axially shifting the arm so that its swinging end slides along the flattened surface for engagement by either the concentric or eccentric surface of thesleeve, and an operating connection secured to the swinging end of the arm.

5. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion, comprising a sleeve, said sleeve comprising a concentric and an eccentric peripheral surface having a bore adapted to receive a rotatable shaft for rotating the sleeve, the bore of said sleeve being recessed at the side of the sleeve from which the eccentric projects and having bearing ribs for the drive shaft in said recess, a swinging arm, means for axially shifting the arm so that its swinging end is engaged by either the concentric or eccentric surface of the sleeve, and an operating connection secured to the swinging end of the arm.

6. Tong operating means for a well drill ing apparatus which includes a rotatable drive shaft, comprising a combined cat-head and eccentric fixed on the drive shaft, a swinging arm, means for axially shifting the arm so that its swinging end is engaged by the eccentric for swinging the arm, and an operating connection secured to the swinging end of the arm, and adapted to engage the operating handle of pipe tongs.

7. Tong operating means for a well drilling apparatus which includes a rotatable drive shaft, comprising an eccentric fixed on the drive shaft at one side of the drilling apparatus, a swinging arm adapted for axial shifting so that its swinging end is engaged by the eccentric for swinging the arm, actuating means for shifting the arm, said actuating means being manually operable from the opposite side of the drilling apparatus, and an operating connection secured to the swinging. end of the arm and adapted to engage the operating handle of pipe tongs.

8. Means for convertingrotary movement to reciprocating motion comprising an eccentric, mcans for rotating the eccentric, an operating member, and means for shifting the operating member axially of the eccentric for engagement by the eccentric to reciprocate the operating member.

9. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion comprisingasleeve having an eccentric and a concentric surface, means for rotating the sleeve, an operating member, and means for shifting the operating member axially of the sleeve for engagement by either the eccentric or concentric surface.

10. Tong operating means for well drilling apparatus which includes a rotatable shaft, comprising an eccentric on the rotatable shaft, an operating member, means for shifting the operating member axially of the rotatable shaft for engagement by the eccentric to reciprocate the operating member, and a connection between the operating member and the operating handle of pipe tongs.

11. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion, comprising a sleeve, means for rotating the sleeve, said sleeve comprising a concentric and an eccentric peripheral surface, an operating member, and means for causing relative axial move ment between the operating member and the sleeve to engage theoperating member .by either the concentric or eccentric surface.

12. Means for converting'rotary movement to reciprocating motion, comprising an cccentric having a radially projecting flange at one end, means for rotating the eccentric, an operating member, means for causing relative axial movement between the operating member and theeccentric so that the operating member is actuated by the eccentric and abuts against the flange, and an operating connection secured to the operating member and tensioned thereby to bind the operating member against the flange.

13. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion,.comprising an eccentric, means for rotating the eccentric, an operating member, means for causing relative movement between the operating member and the eccentric so that the operating member is reciprocated by the eccentric, and yieldable' tensioning means tending to cause relative movement between the operating member and the eccentric in the opposite direction for stopping said reciprocation of the operating member.

14. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion, comprising an eccentric having a radially projecting flange at one end, means for rotating the cocentric, an operating member, means for causing relative axial movement between the operating member and the eccentric so that the operating member is actuated by the eccentric and abuts against the flange, yieldable tensioning means tending to cause relative axial movement between the operating member and the eccentric in the opposite llll llitl direction to disengage the operating member from the eccentric, and an operating connection secured to the operating member and tensioned thereby to bind the operatil'ig member against the flange so as to prevent relative axial movement between the operating member and the eccentric in the direction to disengage the operating member from the eccentric.

15. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocatory motion, comprising a sleeve, means for rotating the sleeve, said sleeve comprising an eccentric and a concentric peripheral surface, one point in the periphery of the eccentric surface forming a prolongation of the periphery of the concentric surface,'a'n' operating member, and means for causing relative axial movement between the operating member and the sleeve so that the operating member shifts from one surface to the otlrerof the sleeve at said point in the peripheries thereof.

16. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion, comprising a sleeve, means for rotating the sleeve, said sleeve comprising an eccentric and a concentric peripheral surface, one point in the periphery of. the eccentric surface forming a prolongation of the periphery of the concentric surface, the peripheries of the concentric and eccentric surfaces being flattened at said point, an operating member, and means for causing relative axial-movement between the operating member and the sleeve so that the operating member'shifts from one surface to the other of the sleeve at said flattened surface.

17. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion, comprising an eccentric having a bore adapted to receive a rotatable shaft for rotating the eccentric, the bore of the eccentric being recessed at its side from which the eccentric projects, an operating member, and meansoperating member, means for causing relative axial movement between the operating member and the eccentric to actuate the operating member by the eccentric, and an operating connection secured to the operating member and adapted to engage pipe tongs.

19. Means for convertin rotary movement to reciprocator motion, comprising an eccentric having a ore adapted to receive a rotatable shaft for rotating the'eccentric, the bore of the eccentric being recessed at its side from which the eccentric projects, and an operating me'mber adapted for actuation by the eccentric.

20. Means'for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion, comprising an eccentric having a bore adapted to receive a rotatable shaft for rotating the eccentric, the bore of the eccentric being recessed at its side from which the eccentric projects and having bearing ribs for the rotatable shaft in said recess, and an oper ating member adapted for actuation by the eccentric.

21. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion comprising a cam, means for rotating the cam, an operating member, and means for causing relative axial movement between the operating member and the cam for engaging the operating member by the cam to reciprocate the operating member.

. 22. Tong operatin means for a well drilling apparatus whic includes a rotatable drive shaft, comprising a combined cat-head and cam on the drive shaft, a swinging arm adapted for engagement of its swinging end by the cam to swing the arm, and an operating connection secured to the swinging end of the arm and adapted to engage pipe tongs.

23. Means for converting rotary movement to reciprocating motion comprising a cam, means for rotating the cam, a swinging arm, and manually controlled means for causing relative movement between the swinging arm and the cam so that the arm is swung by the cam.

In testimony whereof I haveaflixed my signature to this specification. 4

JOHN W. MACCLATCHIE. 

